Regardless of the considerable progress in properties and versatility of synthetic polymers, their low biodegradability and lack of environmentally-friendly character remains a critical issue. Pectin is a natural-based polysaccharide contained in the cell walls of many plants allowing their growth and cell extension. This biopolymer can be extracted from plants and isolated as a bioplastic material with different applications, including food packaging. This review aims to present the latest research results regarding pectin, including the structure, different types, natural sources and potential use in several sectors, particularly in food packaging materials. Many researchers are currently working on a multitude of food and beverage industry applications related to pectin as well as combinations with other biopolymers to improve some key properties, such as antioxidant/antimicrobial performance and flexibility to obtain films. All these advances are covered in this review.

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Recent Trends in the Use of Pectin from Agro-Waste Residues as a Natural-Based Biopolymer for Food Packaging Applications.

Biotechnological approaches for cocoa waste management: A review.

Development of fruit waste derived bio-adsorbents for wastewater treatment: A review

The utilization of unconventional agricultural wastes to obtain new porous carbonaceous materials, at mild pyrolysis temperatures and without complex procedures, for either water treatment and energy storage applications is important from the economic and environmental perspective. In this study, biochars and hydrochars were prepared from banana rachis, cocoa pod husks, and rice husks at 600 °C-2 h, under nitrogen flux. The prepared materials were characterized to better understand how their morphological, textural, physical-chemical and/or structural properties correlate with their methylene blue (MB) adsorption capacities. The material with the best properties (mainly SBET > 800 m2/g) and MB adsorption capacity was a novel biochar prepared from banana rachis (BW-BC). This novel material was selected for additional kinetics and equilibrium adsorption tests for lead (Pb) along with its energy storage capacity. In equilibrium test, the novel biochar reached a maximum adsorption capacity for methylene blue of 243.4 mg/g and the highest adsorption capacity for Pb(II) of 179.7 mg/g. In the kinetic adsorption test, the equilibrium adsorption value for methylene blue was 150.4 mg/g and that for Pb(II) was 159.6 mg/g. Most importantly, the performance of the BW-BC material for energy storage in supercapacitors surpassed that of the commercial activated carbon YP50F, reaching specific energy values of 6.66 and 8.52 Wh/kg in acidic and neutral electrolytes, respectively. Among the evaluated hydrochar and biochars derived of agrowastes, the biochar prepared from banana rachis showed the best properties, being potentially useful as adsorbent or as an electrode material for energy storage.

Evaluation and selection of biochars and hydrochars derived from agricultural wastes for the use as adsorbent and energy storage materials

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of micronization of granulometrically separated olive pomace fractions on dietary fiber composition, technological and functional properties. OP was separated in a 2-mm sieve, resulting in: F1 (>2 mm) and F2 (

Granulometric fractionation and micronization: A process for increasing soluble dietary fiber content and improving technological and functional properties of olive pomace

Cocoa pod husk (CPH) is the main by-product (ca. 70–75% weight of whole fruit) of the cocoa harvest, an important and economic crop in developing countries. It is a rich source of minerals (particularly potassium), fibre (including lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin) and antioxidants (e.g. phenolic acids). An existing practise is the return of CPH to soil with potential benefits (or disadvantages) for cocoa productivity and soil sustainability that have not been fully characterised. Currently, alternative low-value applications of CPH include its use as animal feed, as a starting material for soap making and activated carbon. Other biotechnological valorisation potentials for CPH and its fractions include the production of bio-fuels and their incorporation in food systems. Physical, chemical or biological pre-treatment approaches are needed in order to achieve desirable fractions in a cost-effective and sustainable manner for novel applications in food and non-food sectors.

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Geoff Warren

Papers

Valorisation strategies for cocoa pod husk and its fractions